"Justice's TV ad a hard hitter; Wiggins rebuts Hunstein attack": The Atlanta Journal-Constitution today contains an article that begins, "One of the most personal attack ads of Georgia's election season is up and running on television, and it doesn't involve any candidates for governor. It's from an incumbent Georgia Supreme Court justice."Posted at 08:42 AM by Howard Bashman

"Alito protege sworn in as U.S. attorney in Miami; R. Alexander Acosta was officially sworn in as the U.S. attorney in Miami by his former boss, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito": Yesterday's edition of The Miami Herald contained this article.Posted at 08:30 AM by Howard Bashman

Friday, October 27, 2006

"Jury says paralegal guilty in stabbing; The jury rejects the 'stand your ground' defense in the manslaughter case":This article appears today in The St. Petersburg Times.Posted at 08:27 AM by Howard Bashman

"Reprimand for a Justice Who Met With Inmates": Today in The New York Times, Adam Liptak has an article that begins, "A special panel of the Washington Supreme Court made up of nine substitute judges reprimanded one of the court’s justices yesterday for visiting a facility that holds sexually violent predators."

"Sen. Arlen Specter on how Democrats' control of Senate could affect future Supreme Court": The Wall Street Journal Online is today providing free access to this video segment.Posted at 07:48 AM by Howard Bashman

Friday, October 27, 2006

"$79.5M in punitive damages at core of Supreme Court case; Philip Morris says judgment violates guarantee of due process of law": Joan Biskupic has this article today in USA Today.Posted at 07:42 AM by Howard Bashman

Friday, October 27, 2006

"How Will the Roberts Court Interpret the Establishment Clause? The Consequences of a Shift Away from Justice O'Connor's 'Endorsement' Test for Government-Sponsored Displays of Religious Messages and Symbols." Vikram David Amar and Alan Brownstein have this essay today at FindLaw.Posted at 07:35 AM by Howard Bashman

Middlebury College's press release, which I originally linked to here, now contains a link to online video of the Chief Justice's remarks and the question-and-answer session that followed. To access the video, click here (RealPlayer required).Posted at 05:15 PM by Howard Bashman

Thursday, October 26, 2006

We're number one! On Monday of this week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit became the federal appellate court with the most current vacancies among its active judgeship ranks -- four. The Philadelphia-based court is authorized to have fourteen active judges but now has only ten. The latest vacancy occurred Monday when Circuit Judge Franklin S. Van Antwerpen took senior status, two years and five months after having been confirmed to that seat.

Two of the four vacancies have nominees who are likely to be confirmed, while the other two vacancies have no nominees. Judge Van Antwerpen has his chambers in Easton, Pennsylvania, and he filled the vacancy created when the late, great Edward R. Becker took senior status. Judge Becker's chambers had been in Philadelphia, which is probably the region that the next nominee for this seat calls home.Posted at 05:04 PM by Howard Bashman

Thursday, October 26, 2006

"Second hearing on Neff's nomination refused": The Grand Rapids Press today contains an article that begins, "The chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee has refused to grant a second hearing on the nomination of Michigan Court of Appeals Justice Janet Neff to the federal bench. The move removes one route for resolving the objections to her nomination from a conservative senator following a same-sex commitment ceremony at which Neff spoke. Neff's nomination remains on hold. Meanwhile, a letter from Neff gives her version of the controversial September 2002 event that stalled her nomination. The letter marks the first time her version of the event has been aired."

Yesterday, the newspaper contained an article headlined "Senator hits back on judges." The article begins, "All or nothing. That's U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow's position on three federal judge nominations made in a compromise with President George W. Bush. One of three nominations, that of Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Janet Neff of East Grand Rapids, is on hold. U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, halted her nomination after he learned Neff spoke four years ago at the commitment ceremony of a lesbian couple."

"Justices signal dismay at Texas; Decision to hear capital cases may suggest high court questions handling": The Dallas Morning News today contains an article that begins, "The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear three Texas death penalty cases in its new term, a move that veteran court watchers called the latest signal of the court's increasing frustration with how condemned inmates' appeals are handled by Texas' highest criminal judges and the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals."Posted at 02:05 PM by Howard Bashman

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Supreme Court of Washington State -- consisting of nine substitute justices -- upholds sanction of admonishment imposed on Justice Richard B. Sanders arising from his visit to a special facility where sexually violent predators are confined: You can access today's unanimous ruling at this link.Posted at 11:44 AM by Howard Bashman